A Vampire's Refuge (rewrite)
by XenotheWise135
Summary: Eva is a wanted criminal, on the run for most of her life. Seeking shelter at the guild of a friend, Eva attempts to lie low. With a guild suspicious of her origins and an entire magic council on her tail, will Eva ever life a peaceful life?
1. Heart to Heart

**XxChapter 1: Heart to HeartxX**

At a tall peak in a crowded mountain range—a circular building wrapped around it near the top—a snowstorm raged. In the center most chamber of the large building, a round table was occupied by many cloaked individuals. They spoke of things important, as they were the Magic Council of Paramecia, a continent across the sea north of Fiore.

Once everybody was settled, the man sitting in the chair with the highest headboard spoke in a deep voice. "You all know why we're here, correct?" The man asked, idly stoking his long, brown beard. After getting a round of nods from the rest of the table, he resumed. "Her trail has gone cold; frigid, even. She's disappeared."

"Rodelle can't locate her? I thought he was the best we had!" A young woman to his left responded.

"I am." A voice sounded out, prompting the council members to look towards the door. There stood a handsome young man in a gray cloak with the hood down. He had shoulder-length brown hair and wore glasses.

An older council member across the table addressed him first. "Rodelle… Why are you here? I don't recall us giving you a summons."

The now identified Rodelle grabbed one of the only unoccupied chairs and sat down. "I'm here because the center of this meeting is something no one other than I can give better information on. I'm the Captian of Internal Security, am I not?"

The Council Leader gave Rodelle a nod, signifying him to continue.

"My tracking magic has few flaws. It's most likely the best around. Once my squad tore that piece of her cloak off during a raid, her sent on it was enough for a full-fledged pursuit. One of my magic's only weaknesses… is its range. The only way for her trail to get this cold is by her completely leaving Paramecia." He explained.

A round of tongue clicks went around the table. They were obviously annoyed at the new information.

"Sadly that's not all. That single answer raises its own set of questions."

"Like the possibility of an accomplice…" The woman from earlier suggests.

Rodelle sighed deeply. "I'd say it's more than a possibility. The only way off this continent is via boat. She's a well-known criminal around here, so she couldn't have gotten on a ship without being smuggled. Somebody let her on knowing exactly who she was, and that very person will lead us to where she went."

"How can you say for sure, though? She very well could have taken the boat by force." A random council member pointed out.

Rodelle chuckled at the notion. "No, I'm pretty sure she didn't. If she had hijacked the ship, we would have been notified quickly and had gotten on her tail. She was smarter than that. She wanted to get some distance between herself and I before I even noticed she was gone. She left quickly and quietly to ensure that, and could be quite far by now."

"Then how will we find her? She left the continent and we don't know who helped her. It seems hopeless." A woman complained.

"Not quite." Rodelle said, wagging his finger at her. "I already told you that range was the only issue with my magic, as it interacts with the lacrima towers we have set up across the country, allowing me to pinpoint her location by scent. There are few places in this country devoid of these towers, the southern port of Faramar being one of them.

The woman wasn't convinced. "I fail to see your point. If anything, you're making it seem worse."

"You'd think, but it's a mere annoyance. It only means that I cannot locate her from here. If I go directly to the port I can track her scent without the aid of any towers. Not being able to use my magic without the towers would be a flaw. My magic has few. I'll just take a quick trip to the port and see what I find."

A male council member found a flaw in the plan, though. "But if she fled the continent entirely, wouldn't her scent have left the harbor as well by now?"

"If I was looking for her specifically, maybe, but that's not the case. Her scent isn't limited to just her body, you know. Either the boat or the person who smuggled her may still carry her scent. That's where I'll start, but…" The tracking mage trailed off.

The Council Head noticed. "I take it there are still problems?"

"The 'Lacrima Towers' of Paramecia are security features unique to our country. Other nations won't have them. Even if I do track her down to the land where she fled, it will quickly become a foot race on my part if I want to catch her."

The Council Head slammed his fist on the table. "Damn that woman... She's been a thorn in our side for far too long. Evangeline A.K. McDowell, your time is near!"

**XxBreakxX**

It was a normal day in the bustling city of Magnolia, home to the strongest guild in Fiore. Things were going as usual, except for one girl who currently walked towards a certain place. It was a young girl.

She was short, and wore a greenish-gray cloak that wrapped around her body but left her legs exposed. While her face was hidden by the shadows cast by the hood of the cloak, a few bangs of blonde hair could be seen.

While most people gave her wide berth due to the assumption that she was homeless. The many cuts and bruises that adorned her exposed legs did not help to avoid such a notion. One man though—a shopkeep—didn't feel right leaving her be.

"Oi, Jou-chan!" The man yells, grabbing the girl's attention. The girl turns and takes in the man's appearance. He had short brown hair with a scraggly mess of facial hair, and a chef's outfit without the hat.

Seeing as he had her attention, the man continued. "You don't look so good. How about I hook you up with a good meal and a bed? I just wouldn't feel right letting a homeless girl keep to the streets, you know?" He offered.

"Thank you for the offer, but I must decline." The girl answered, raising her head to look the shopkeep in the eye. Her face was still mostly hidden, but a genuine smile could be seen across her mouth.

"I have a place in mind already." She continued. "I dabble in magic, and heard that Fairy Tail takes in young talent. I figured that I might get a place to stay if I impress. I was going to head on over and strut my stuff, as some might say."

A look of understanding flashed across the brown haired man's face. "Really now?! I don't think you need to worry then. Fairy Tail's a good place, and I doubt good ol' Makarov would turn you away regardless, I'm almost certain." He then clapped his hands a few times. "Now get going. I can't stand seeing you looking like this. Get cleaned up, situated, and maybe you can come by and have that dinner I promised sometime."

"Thank you." The blonde girl responds. "I suppose I'll be on my way then." She announces, nodded her head at the king man.

After getting a nod in return—along with a large smile—the cloaked girl continued on her way towards the guild of Fairy Tail. The journey was quick, but not without a fair amount of stray eyes. The attention didn't bother her in the least, though. It almost seemed as though she was used to it.

It didn't take very long to finally appear before the splendor that was the Fairy Tail guild hall. The outdoor segment of the guild stopped all conversation as the girl walked right past them towards the giant double doors that would give her entry. Turning her head slightly towards the people at the picnic tables behind her, she gave a small smile before placing both hands on the two doors and pushing them open.

…And was promptly met with a glass mug to the face.

The guild was in an apparent uproar, people yelling and fighting all around. As it turned out, a good few more mugs were thrown before one finally hit somebody; unluckily it was the girl. It was noticed quite quickly though, and the guild hastily calmed down to tend to the injured girl, who was beginning to bleed through her fingers a she held her face.

The first responder was a slim, mildly muscular man of average height with short, straight, slicked back dark blue hair. He had linear dark eyebrows, dark eyes, and a prominent nose with a flat, rectangular front. The lower part of his face was covered in some sparse stubble, including a thin mustache.

Helping her up, the man spoke. "Are you okay, Jou-chan?! Who threw that?! You hit a little girl!" He yelled to no one in particular, seeing as the culprit would never admit to it.

"Shit, this hurts…" The girl said to herself lowly.

Standing abruptly, the girl pushed the man currently helping her to the side a good distance, finally allowing her hood to fall to her shoulders. While her face was still obscured by cuts, blood, and glass shards, her blonde hair can finally be seen disappearing back into the cloak, presumably being quite long.

"Get Wendy, quickly!" A woman behind the bar yells. She was slim woman of below average height, wearing a long, sleeveless, maroon dress with pink frills and ribbons on it. Her pure white hair fell towards her mid-back while allowing two long bangs to run over her shoulders to her front. A small tuft of hair was kept straight up by a band in the center of her forehead. She was a beautiful girl, as her large bust was hugged by her dress to accentuate the fact, with a small blue jewel hanging over it by a necklace.

As the guild begins to take in the condition of the blonde girl's face, they start to get louder and louder. Eventually, it became too much for the child, causing her to lash out verbally.

"Silence!" She yelled commandingly. "It hurts, yes, but I'll be fine. It's this level of chaos that probably caused the mug to hit me in the first place!"

Plopping down on at a table, she continued. "I came here to see this Makarov person, and look what I get…" The girl complained while beginning to takes small pieces of glass out of her face and tossing them onto the table in front of her. Immediately across the table in front of her, a woman watches her intently.

She had long, scarlet hair and brown eyes. Her attire consisted of an armored chestplate accompanied by a blue skirt and black boots. Her gauntleted hands set down her drink as she addressed the injured girl.

"While your pain tolerance is admirable, what you're currently doing isn't healthy. Be still until our medic shows up. She should be able to treat you much better." She stated.

With along winded sigh, the blonde girl just left her face a mess and waited. It didn't take, more than a minute for the medic, Wendy, to show up. She was a petite girl with long, dark blue hair that reached down to her waist, two bangs that framed her face reaching down to her chest, and brown eyes. She wore a loose fitting, bare-backed dress with a yellow and blue color scheme.

"Good lord, who did this?" The healer said while beginning to treat the younger girl's wounds. Wendy's hands glowed a light blue as she went to work.

The purple haired man from earlier answered. "The guild was in an uproar as usual, and somebody tossed a mug. The little girl took it right in the face." He said, sounding a bit panicked. He hadn't calmed down since the initial hit, and felt bad for the girl.

"It'll be fine, Macao." The red haired woman at the table consoled. "Wendy's here, just calm down."

The now identified Macao scratched the back of his head nervously. "Yeah, sorry about that. Thanks Erza."

Wendy, oblivious to their conversation, was intently studying the girl in front of her as she healed. Things weren't as they seemed. The smaller cuts and scrapes were healing faster than usual, some without any aid from magic at all. The ones that did so left small amounts of pure white smoke in the wake of the healing process.

"_What incredible innate healing properties… It might have to do with that feeling I get from her, a kind that says she's not entirely 'human'. The smell she gives is just so… different. Dark, almost. She kind of smells a little like Grandine. It's actually kind of scary…" _Wendy thought.

"Aaand… Done!" She announced happily, prompting the previously injured girl to feel around her face.

Satisfied, the girl lowered her hands and finally showed her face to the guild. She was extremely pretty; holding a face that let you knew she'd be beyond beautiful when she grew up. Deep in the crowd, though, a shirtless, blue haired man adopted a shocked look.

"Thank you, that wasn't pleasant. You people are crazy." The blonde girl commented.

"I'm glad, but…" Erza started, "why exactly are you here, again? Excuse me for saying so, but you appear homeless. Is there something we can help you with?" She asked politely.

The girl in question scratched the back of her head. "I hope so. Believe it or not, I'm a mage. Mages do jobs. Jobs give money. Money gives shelter. Problem is, I'm unemployed. You guys take in young talent, right? I was hoping to be able to join the guild. I'd appreciate something other than a park bench for the night." She explained.

"Well, I can help you with that just fine!" A deep voice spoke up.

The girl had to look down to see him, but he was there; a short, elderly man with a balding head and a thick, white mustache. He donned a white tunic with black pants, covered by a formal white coat with fur around the edges. He was Makarov Dreyar, Master of Fairy Tail.

"If you need help, we'll give it to you! What's your name, lass?" He asked joyfully.

Taking a deep bow, the girl answered. "My name is Katherine. I heard you take in mages, and was hoping for a better life here." She said respectfully.

Makarov just laughed. "No need for such formalities young one, I—"

"Thanks a bunch, Jii-san!" Katherine interrupted. I was worried you wouldn't accept me if I wasn't a good two-shoes." She revealed with a laugh, shocking the guild with her change in personality.

Makarov didn't mind though, just grinning right back at her. "First thing's first. Mira, get the girl some clothes!"

The white haired woman behind the counter that had called for Wendy earlier stepped forward. Nodding to Makarov, she gestured for Katherine to follow her. Through the back closet was a staircase downstairs where storage was held. On the way down, Mira started some conversation

"So, Katherine-chan, where are you from?" She asked nicely.

"Far away." Katherine answered in a dead tone.

The barmaid put a finger to her lip and gained a questioning look. "How far?"

"Outside of Fiore, that's for certain." The young girl clarified. "It's a long story, really. Maybe I'll tell you someday. What's your name again?" She asked.

Mira tilted her head and gave the girl a closed eye smile. "Mirajane Strauss. You can call me Mira though, almost everyone else does." She said while pulling some clothes out of a box in the corner. "Now here are some clothes. It's one of Wendy's, but I'm sure she wouldn't mind in the least."

Katherine grabbed the one piece yellow dress and looked at it skeptically. _"Better than nothing, I guess."_

Abruptly dropping her cloak, Katherine managed to startle Mira with the amount of wounds that covered her body, ranging from scrapes and bruises to cuts and burns. She was a mess, to be certain. The true length of her striking blonde hair was put into context as well, reaching far below her bottom.

"It's been a long trip." The blonde said, giving the bartender a soft look. "I'll have the Wendy girl fix up the rest later, don't worry."

After becoming sufficiently clothed, Mira and Katherine made their way back up into the main hall. Katherine stopped almost immediately and met eyes with a new arrival since she had been downstairs.

He was a peculiar looking teen with spikey pink hair. He wore a sleeveless black waistcoat with gold lining that left his muscled torso exposed and baggy white pants with black sandals. Around his neck was a scale-patterned scarf.

Katherine was surprised. The boy had immediately turned himself around to look her straight in the eyes after being upstairs for no more than five seconds. It was so abrupt that Katherine missed the flying blue cat next to him. It was then she noticed the boy's nose wiggle.

He pointed at her accusingly. "Who are you?! You don't smell right!"

Katherine visibly flinched as his words. Internally, she was sweating profusely. _"Come on! This was supposed to be a good place to lay low, and they've got a damn bloodhound in the guild? Screw this, I'm running."_

Suddenly, she turned towards the door and sprinted right on out of the guild. There was a tense silence for a few moments, one that was finally broken by the pink haired boy's face hitting the table in front of him. Hard.

"And what was THAT all about?! Well, Natsu?!" Erza screamed, her hand on the back of Natsu's head, grinding him into the table.

"plkajajsdf"

"WHAT?!"

Shakily, a pretty girl with shoulder-length blonde hair put her hand on Erza's wrist and pulled it off of Natsu, allowing the boy up for some breath.

Erza glared at the girl. "Are you on agreement with what he just did, Lucy?!"

Lucy shook her head furiously. It took everything she had to muster up the courage to get her off of Natsu. He couldn't answer any questions with wood and splinters in his mouth. Lucy wore a sleeveless white shirt with a collar and a zipper up the middle. It had blue trimming across the edges with a blue cross shape in the center. A short blue skirt held up by a brown belt held a set of keys, and her boots were black and almost knee high. She had a voluptuous figure much like Mira's, with large breasts and long legs.

"I don't think Natsu can answer you while he's eating the table, Erza." The flying cat said in a high pitched voice. Apparently it could talk.

Blushing slightly, Erza resumed her questioning. "She was a young girl who desperately needed our help. Over the course of no more than five seconds you yelled at her and scared her off. Why?"

It was at that point that a man with long, spikey, and slicked back hair stepped forward. His outfit consisted of a shabby, black, sleeveless tunic with studded edges, a studded belt around his waist, loose, beige pants tucked inside studded black boots, and a pair of studded brown gloves paired with similarly studded wristbands. He also sported a distinctive wing-like ornament, seemingly made of feathers, jutting upwards over his right shoulder, attached to his tunic by a large stud. His tanned skin was adorned by countless piercings, even across his face.

"Salamander had a point, actually." He said. "There was something really off about the way that girl smelled. I could tell the minute she walked through the door. Something inhuman, even. I've never been near anything like it before, except for… well… Metalicana." He revealed, shocking the guild. The man then gave Natsu a small glare. "But… I kept quiet. Flame breath didn't. He could've handled that A LOT differently."

"Which is surprising for you, considering, Gajeel." A deep voice intoned. It was a small black cat wearing beige pants with black shoes and a scar over one of its eyes.

Gajeel sweatdropped in response, giving the cat a tired look. "Come on Lily, it's a little girl!"

The door was then heard opening. Figuring the girl may have come back, the guild turned their attention from Gajeel only to see a different man LEAVING. He was shirtless (and muscled) with dark green cargo pants, accompanied by black shoes. His hair was short and a deep blue. He also had a scar over his left eye.

"Where are you going, Gray?" Lucy asked.

The man in question just rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I'm going to go check on Sen—the girl. She can't have gotten too far. I'll see what I can do." He said before leaving, not giving anybody time to respond to his declaration.

**XxBreakxX**

Katherine sat at a small pond at the bottom of a hill. There were few trees, and nothing but some benches here and there. She was lazily tossing a small stone up and down in her hand, seemingly in deep thought.

"Shit." She spat before tossing the stone masterfully, sending it all the way across the pond in about six skips. "Just my luck, really. Maybe the man from earlier can get me some dinner like he promised…"

The blonde girl then sighed deeply. It was an exasperated, almost desperate sigh. "Heh. I didn't even get to see Gray, either." She said before pausing, a grin slipping onto her face. "Well speak of the devil. How are you, Gray-kun?"

Lo and behold, there was Gray, slowly trotting down the hill towards Katherine with his hands in his pockets. The shirtless man eventually reached the bottom and sat beside her. Getting comfortable, he turned to Katherine.

"I've been pretty good. Things have been a bit hectic here and there, but it always works out in the end."

"Really now? What kind of things? Any good fights?" The blonde asked.

Gray just laughed. "Well, I've helped take down two dark guilds, fought my best friend to near death, stopped a mad man from reviving a dark lord, and traveled between worlds to meet my alter ego and stop a crazed king."

"Sounds fun." She answered simply. "So, you and Leon-kun had a spat, then?"

"Of sorts." He responded. "Dumbass wanted to prove he was better than Ur, so he tried to revive the monster that she couldn't beat. He figured if HE could beat it, he would surpass Ur by proxy."

Katherine gained a shocked look at that. "Ur had trouble fighting a monster? Must've been something else then. Why didn't Leon-kun just challenge her?"

"Well…" The pupil of said woman was eerily quiet. "I don't know how to tell you this, but Ur… passed away six years ago."

Katherine was speechless. Her first pupil, dead? "What? W…when? HOW?!"

Gray tightened his fists and hit the ground hard. "It was my fault, damn it! The creature Leon tried to revive was Deliora. I told you about it, right?"

"The demon that killed your parents, correct?"

"Yeah, that's the one." He confirmed, nodding. "It didn't lie low for too long. I heard rumors about it attacking a town close by. I thought… I thought that with your's and Ur's training I could win. Magic was so new to me, and well… I let it get to my head. Ur had to try and bail me out, but she just couldn't beat him. She tried and tried, but eventually she started losing. Once she lost her leg, she decided there was only one thing to do…"

Katherine knew where the story was going by then. "That spell she created… Iced Shell, correct? I had forbidden her to use it until she figured out a way to keep herself alive afterwards."

"Well, she never did. She sealed up Deliora and saved my life. Leon… he didn't take it well at all. He almost went catatonic when he saw the aftermath of the battle. He blamed me and left. I went to join Fairy Tail, and didn't see him until a few months ago. I'm sorry… It's all my fault!" He yelled, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth.

A loud clap sounded out amongst the clearing. Katherine had just slapped Gray, and quite hard at that. Gray's shocked look quickly turned to a weak smirk. He deserved that, he figured.

His assailant though, just sighed afterwards. "I don't think she would have had it any other way… So she died protecting her cute students… Ever since her daughter died, she really viewed you like her own. I remember when I was still teaching her and she met that man, Abel. He left her to join a dark guild without even knowing she was pregnant, but it didn't bother her as much as it should have. She was having a child, and that's all she wanted at that point."

"She never really told us much about the girl, though. She only talked about her once, actually. Her daughter was about four when she died, right?"

Katherine nodded. "She named her Ultear. I presume you see the symbolism? The girl looked so much like her it was uncanny, and she was damn smart to boot. Before she died, she could actually use Crimson Ice! Ur was so proud, but the girl fell sick. She had too much magic power bottled up inside of her, and it was starting to try and get out. She started having fainting spells and lost a dangerous amount of weight. Ur took her to a magic facility, and they kept her overnight to treat her. Apparently the magic just… exploded out of her. It was ugly, from what the doctors said. Ur had changed after that, but she was much happier after she met you and Leon."

Gray smiled at the story. It was nice to know that he had a part in healing his sensei's heart.

"But…" Katherine continued. "Even now, after hearing how she died, I could never blame you. Ur wouldn't forgive me if I did." She said, smiling at Gray.

"Eva-sensei…" He said, both shocked and thankful.

Katherine just slapped him over the head. "Don't call me that! You should know better considering the situation I'm in." She scolded.

The mage just laughed. "You really want me to call you Katherine? Anybody who gives two shits about you'll see right through that alias." When Eva, as her named turned out to be, didn't answer, Gray fowned. "Is it for your sister?" He asked sadly.

Eva didn't answer, instead changing the subject. "I had to leave Paramecia, and quickly. The council hired this mage, Rodelle, I think his name was. He used some kind of scent-tracking magic. Well, he got mine from some clothes, and after that the council didn't let up in the least. I was getting really pissed, before I finally decided to just split. I put a seal on my magic so my signal would die down, and it worked for the most part. Downside was, I couldn't heal nearly as well. I got into a small scuffle with some guards at the port city I was heading to. It's how I got most of these scars."

"Wow…" Gray said, honestly impressed. "You escaped magic guards without ANY magic power at all?"

"No, I killed them. The old-fashioned way." She said darkly

The ice mage shivered at her tone.

"Long story short, I got a buddy to help me out of the country, and I came here 'cause well… I knew you'd be here, I guess." She finished.

Gray stayed silent for a moment before a mischievous grin made its way across his features. "So, it you're going by Katherine now… I get to call you 'Kitty', right?" He teased.

"Absolutely not!" "Kitty" bellowed in response. "That dumbass nickname Leon gave me should never exist! He won't stop calling me that, and I'd not have two people calling me it. So don't you dare, boy, or I'll make our training sessions of yesteryear look like parties!" She scolded.

"Okay, okay, I was just teasing. I suppose I'll leave that to Leon from now on. You should pay him a visit. He's a mage at a guild called 'Lamia Scale' to the west. He'd be happy to see you."

Eva smiled. "Maybe I will. If he calls me 'Kitty' even once though, he's dead." She then gained a thoughtful look. "That actually sounds like a good idea. I can't stay out in the open for too long, and maybe Leon will help me into that Lamia-whatever place."

"No, you'll stay here, at Fairy Tail. Natsu got reprimanded for being so… rude, and I doubt anybody will mind you staying if you keep a low profile."

The blonde just grunted in affirmation. "The boys name was Natsu? What was up with him, anyways? He singled me out almost instantly and got angry. How did he do that?"

Gray ran a hand through his hair in exasperation. "Well, he's a Dragon Slayer."

"Truly?" Eva said, honestly surprised. "What generation is he?"

"Generation?" Gray repeated questioningly.

Eva nodded. "Yes. Was he taught by a real dragon? Or did he ingest the remains of one?"

"You can become a Dragon Slayer that way?" Gray asked, almost disgusted by the knowledge.

"Dragons are peculiar creatures, to say the least. A dragon's heart is actually a lacrima. If you eat the lacrima, you should gain a semblance of the dragon's powers. That's actually the most common type of Dragon Slayer out there. They're called the 'Second Generation', whereas the first was actually taught by a real dragon."

The ice mage hummed in thought at the knowledge. "Well, he's definitely a 'First Generation' Dragon Slayer, considering he was taught by the fire dragon, Igneel. Odds are, he smelt 'you-know-who' on you, and got scared. He acts tough when he's scared, so that's why he yelled at you like that."

"I wonder how he'll fare against the new era of Dragon Slayers? I met a child in Paramecia who became the first member of what I'd call the 'Third Generation'. The boy has insane potential."

"Third? How does that happen?"

Eva chuckled. "The boy's a man after my own heart. He was taught by a real dragon from a very young age. Once he felt he was strong enough, he murdered the dragon, bathed in its blood, and tore out its lacrima heart to eat it. The boy's the real deal, and even I'd be scared to face him in ten years or so."

Gray blanched at the revelation. "Yikes. He seems pretty hardcore, and you say he's still young? That's scary."

"Well, he's better than the new age of 'God Slayers' running about. Makes me sick to know I'm one of them."

"Really now?" Katherine's former student asked. "That magic is back in force? Who revived it?"

Eva just scoffed at the notion. "As if I'd know. They're all going to be Second Generation at best. There are no 'Gods' for them to kill. It's a bastardized version of the style at best."

"I figured as much. I doubt there'll be another true God Slayer besides you."

"It's better that way. It seems as though Dragon Slaying magic will be the premier 'Lost Magic' of this age. I've wondered if I should ever pass down my skills to a second student…" Eva wondered out loud.

"Meh, it's up to you, really. I really doubt anybody will end up doing better than that one kid you started training after Ur. What was his name again?"

Eva laughed at the boy's terrible memory. "Negi. I've been training him for a while, but the kid's only ten right now. He's S-Class though, even at that age. It's because of my kickass training, of course."

"It takes somebody crazy enough to survive the training first though. You don't play nice. Ever." Gray pointed out.

"Of course not!" The deceptively old mage announced, scandalized at the thought. "Sunshine and rainbows won't make you a tough mage, you know. He may hate me during the training, but after it's all done he'll be thanking me. Ur was the same way, actually. Early on in her training she tried to kill me two or three times. She failed miserably of course, but it was endlessly amusing to see her try. Man, I miss her already…" She ended sadly.

Silence permeated the two for a good few minutes as they both reminisced about the late Ur Milkovich. Gray, though, finally broke the quiet atmosphere.

"I still can't believe you're STILL being hunted by the Paramecian Magic Council. It's ridiculous at this point for them to keep trying. Why do they do it?" He asked.

Eva shrugged her shoulders. "It could be many reasons, really. Perhaps anger at what I had done to their ancestors? Perhaps vanity, as they attempt to maintain their image as a reliable policing force? Or perhaps they're just sore about the fact that they can't catch me. The possibilities are many, but they don't matter in the end. Paramecia will be stepping on A LOT of toes if they try and apprehend me here in Fiore. I doubt they'll come knocking for a long while, but the day WILL come, I guarantee you that much."

"I figured as much, but still…" Gray started, dropping his chin onto his palm in a tired gesture. "The things Zeref did to you were never your fault. Did people fear him that much back then?

"You have NO idea, Gray-kun. The man single handedly brought this very country to its knees with his power. The fact of the matter was that people feared his creations almost as much as the man himself, not only for the threat they undoubtedly hold, but for the connection to Zeref in-and-of-itself. Nobody wanted a reminder of such dark times wandering around. Besides, I made things difficult on myself when I went off the deep end and killed the council. It… changed me, and I'm not sure if it was for the better. I enjoyed it too much, and that was the problem." Eva said darkly, yet with a hint of sadness beneath it.

Gray laughed, surprisingly. "You're sadistic streak never extended to anyone other than your enemies. At least to a dangerous extent. You shouldn't have to be weighed down by the stigma of a pathetic man like Zeref. All the power in the world and he cowered before old age."

"Indeed. The man didn't much enjoy the notion that he'd be dying someday. He figured 'hey, let's experiment', and from then on the horror began. There were so many war orphans that they were like a veritable gold mine of test subjects for him. The fact that he used children like that sickens me, but at least their sacrifices didn't end up going into HIS gain." Eva explained.

"Zeref killed them all for the sake of immortality, but when he finally succeeded you ran off with the spoils. All his work, for nothing in the end. It was probably the best possible outcome considering the dire circumstances. You're a Vampire, he's dead. Seems like a good conclusion to me."

Eva got scarily quiet at that, but composed herself soon after. "I'm fully aware. Living for 400 years isn't just for show, you know? I've had PLENTY of time to think about the past, and I'm aware that things could have been MUCH worse."

"It really is a shame that you can't have a peaceful life. You deserve it, honestly." Gray told the blonde.

"A difficult life is merely a test of one's strength of spirit. To see if you can endure. You can take control of any situation if your will is strong enough, and with enough force behind your convictions, despair can become opportunity." She finished with a smirk. "Now let's go back to your guild. I'm tired of this heart-to-heart of ours, and hopefully I can get on a better foot with those crazy people back there."

As they both stood up, Gray pulled Eva into a slight hug from her side. "It's good to see you, sensei. Hopefully things'll get better from here on out."

Playfully brushing his arm off of her, Eva grinned. "Perhaps. We'll just have to take things one day at a time."

**XxBreakxX**

**Okay, rewrite! This was my first story, but the premise was my favorite. I've improved my writing style by leaps and bounds, and with this, I might be able to breath new life into this story. This time things take place right after the Edolas arc, not aft the S-Class trials. Some things will be similar, some things will be different. Hell, some things may be near identical. But hopefully at the end of the day things will work out.**

**Xeno out, Peace.**


	2. Foreboding Darkness

**XxChapter 2: Foreboding DarknessxX**

Eva had been with the guild for about a week. She refused to meet eyes with Natsu, but for the most part she did fine. Nobody but perhaps Makarov and another saw something different about her relationship with Gray, so to the rest they were just fast friends. Eva's skills in ice magic helped sell a level of chemistry between the two, allowing her to hang out with Gray more and more without suspicion. It made Eva stop and think about certain members of the guild and how she meshed with them.

Natsu Dragneel was of course an enemy in her eyes. The boy constantly sniffed audibly in her presence, and he refused to even attempt to talk to her. That was fine with the vampire, seeing as she didn't much like the boy in the first place.

Lucy Heartphilia was Natsu's friend; his other half Eva would assume if she didn't know the story. She suspected the girl had a crush on the pink haired boy, but that was pure conjecture without further observation. She was a simple enough girl; bright, but not obnoxiously so. She seemed to be a little self-conscious about her appearance when around men. Lucy was beautiful, no doubt, but she always seemed to be overshadowed by the other beauties in the guild. It made her question her figure on more than one occasion. Eva also took no small notice of the keys on her belt. A Celestial Spirit mage was a rarity.

One of those beauties was Erza Scarlet. Now SHE was a tough woman. She was one of only three S-Class mages in the guild, and also the most recent one. Eva had of course seen Erza's sword, and perhaps noticed her change clothes through Requip once or twice, but there wasn't enough information to get a general grasp of how she fought. Personality wise, Eva like the girl quite a bit. She didn't take any nonsense, but also seemed to be a bit too short tempered.

Besides those individuals, Eva didn't interact with anybody else on a regular basis. Hell, the only reason she was around the aforementioned people was because they were on Gray's team. She talked to Makarov a bit, as well as Mira, but beyond that she was a bit introverted.

Which is why she was surprised at what she saw before her at the moment. Before her stood a tall man, with slicked back brown hair and a light beard. He wore a large cloak that covered most of his body, but multiple bandages could be seen across his torso, and Eva could have sworn the man's left arm was artificial.

"You're the newbie right? Katherine?" He asked her.

Eva numbly nodded while gesturing for the massive man to sit across from her at the table.

"I am. Is there something I can help you with, Gildarts Clive?"

Gildarts rose an eyebrow at her demeanor. "I can already tell you're a strange little girl. There are a few reasons that I wanted to talk to you about. I've noticed your subconscious magical aura getting stronger over the weak. I don't know why you're doing it, but stop. Erza and Mira sense it as well, but can't pinpoint it. Your aura is surprisingly strong considering your age, so it's throwing a few guild members off."

"I had forgotten…" Eva said lowly. The self-imposed seal she placed was finally loosening, and she wasn't keeping her presence in check. "As the wounds from my traveling continue to heal I start feeling better in general. I was simply letting the healing process run its course, and hadn't thought to be conservative. I apologize." She responded, telling the truth but not all in the same breath.

Gildarts eyed her closely. Eva hadn't broke eye contact, and seemed nothing more than calm. Suddenly, he noticed her aura disappear completely. Wait, almost. He could still feel something small. The man was actually impressed.

"Peculiar, aren't you?" He asked rhetorically. "Something seems off about you, and Natsu's little outburst the day you joined doesn't help the notion. The only thing that stops me from taking action is Gray. I've seen the way he acts around you, and all I see is absolute trust. But the strangest thing is that it's not mutual. The boy explicitly trusts you, yet I don't feel it from you. Why is that? Why does a girl of only a week make such an impression on him?"

It was at that point that Eva managed to give her first pointed look of the conversation. "Perhaps there's a good reason for that, Gildarts-san. Maybe your suspicions would diffuse themselves if you knew more about me. I must say, I'm disappointed at your approach, actually. It's a bit too hostile if your intention is to make friends." She told him.

Gildarts paused for a sec, and then broke out into a laugh. "I suppose you're right. How's this? We're going to have a promotional trial for making it to S-Class in a few weeks. Most newer members get to come along as spectators to see how things in the guild work. I'll be one of the examiners this year, so maybe you wouldn't mind following me around during the exam?"

Eva was interested now. "From your words, it appears as though I'll be invited either way. Why with you?"

"To get to know you better. Didn't you just suggest I do that?" He slightly mocked.

"I did, didn't I? Very well, I'll join you for the exams. How many participants are there this year?"

Gildarts put a hand to his chin and thought it over. "I count eight. So with their partners, that makes sixteen people actually participating."

Eva eyed him slyly. "I don't suppose you can tell me who they are?"

"I shouldn't, but I really don't care. You'd be interested to know that Gray's been nominated, along with Natsu."

Eva's face brightened at the mention of Gray, but darkened immediately after at the mention of the Dragon Slayer.

"He's really that good? I doubt it."

Gildarts just sighed in exasperation at the girl's attitude. "You need to let this go, Katherine. Natsu may be… different, but he's not a bad kid. I think you should just give him another chance. You're very introverted for a girl your age. Even if you ARE quite new, you should at least learn to talk more. Everybody here's a nice person for the most part, a few strange quirks aside." He finished while giving a sideways glance towards Gray, who had stripped to his boxers without even realizing it.

Eva just grunted before changing the subject. "Is this Gray-kun's first nomination?" She asked.

"Yep." Gildarts said with a quick nod. "In fact, only Cana, Freed, and Mest are repeat nominees. Mest got damn close last year, but he should probably make it this time around. Kid's fast as hell. I do feel bad for Cana though, seeing as though this is her fifth nomination."

"Sucks for her." Eva said with no sympathy. Gildarts was beginning to get a slight feel for how the girl really was as a person. She seemed so… detached from everybody besides Gray. It was strange.

"Well, I don't think I have to tell you to not tell Gray, so I'll see you." He said before walking away, not waiting for a response. Something about "Katherine" was bugging him.

Eva chuckled to herself before taking a swig of her drink, then pulling out a fairly thick book. It was titled "Advanced Molding Magic", written by an "Albireo Imma". She dove right in and didn't stop reading until she was brought out of her musings by a young girl's voice.

"That book looks complicated. How is it?"

Eva turned and saw a young girl behind her. She was a young, teenage girl with a slender build that stood at a height below average for her age. She sported blue hair, with the top cut short and the bottom longer, tied up with a colorful bandana around her head. She wore a low cut orange dress with white trimmings that stopped high on her legs.

"You're… Levy, right? It's fine, but it's more of a crash course for me right now. I've got the theory down just fine, but I'm going over the facts to see if I missed something."

"Hm… Well, Molding Magic is a complicated thing to learn. Besides Gray and I, there are only a few others in the guild that even do it at all." Levy told her.

"I've been practicing in this magic type for a long while now. I'd like to say I'm damn good for my age, but then I'd be bragging." The vampire in disguise said, a tiny hint of arrogance laced in her words.

Levy hummed in thought again, not really caring about Eva's tone. "What do you mold? I mold words and change their qualities. It's called "Solid Script", and I can't think of a magic more perfect for me."

"It IS quite the appropriate magic for the academic types, that's for certain."

Levy raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow, you really know about Solid Script magic?"

Just as Eva was about to go on a rant about how the magic worked and make Levy inferior, she remembered her cover. "I've… heard about it from a friend. He knows how to use it, and he's a total bookworm to the core." She revealed.

It was a half-truth. What she knew about Solid Script DID come from her bookworm of a friend. Levy didn't have to know that the man created it as well…

"But when it comes to molding, I'm very partial to ice. It's not like Gray-kun's 'Ice Make', per se, but an older type."

Levy brightened up at the revelation. "Old style? Like how old?"

Eva smirked at the bookworm's enthusiasm. "The kind that requires a chant."

"WOAH!" Levy exclaimed. "Those are like, so rare it's not even funny! That's almost like a Lost Magic!"

"No, it's not THAT old, I assure you. It's recent enough for this book to help me with it at least. Did you want to borrow it? Like I said, I was just reviewing the material. There's even a chapter specifically for Solid Script, if you're interested."

Levy brightened up even further, if possible. "Definitely! You won't mind?"

Eva shook her head. "Go ahead. Keep it if you like. I need to be going anyways." She finished while sliding the book towards Levy and standing to leave. "It was nice to finally meet you personally."

Levy was already nose deep in the book. She just gave a quick "likewise" and went right back to reading. Eva couldn't help but laugh out loud at the girl's attitude. She was a strange one, that was for sure. She left so abruptly though because she was going to miss Gray if she didn't. He was hovering around the job board and looked like he'd finally chosen one. She managed to stop him just in time.

"Gray-kun, hold up." She said, grabbing the man's attention.

"Katherine? What's up?" He asked, having finally gotten used to addressing her by her cover.

Eva got closer and spoke in a quieter tone. "You're trying to do a bunch of jobs to increase your chances for getting nominated for that exam thing in a few weeks, right?"

Gray raised an eyebrow at her amount of knowledge, but still nodded.

"Well, I just talked to Gildarts and he said you were nominated already. We can stop over by your place tonight and get straight to training. I figured I might help you get a leg up on the competition, so to speak."

Gray brightened up considerably. "You mean I really—" He was promptly cut off by Eva slapping her hand over his mouth.

"I don't really care that I did, but I wasn't supposed to tell you about your nomination. Just shut up and we'll talk about this later, okay?" She whispered sternly.

With a quick nod and a smile, Gray put his current job request back on the board. It was finally his time to shine.

**XxBreakxX**

A pale-skinned woman with dark purple hair and brown eyes stood on the deck of a large airship, her attention attached to a moderately sized crystal ball that floated above her wrist. She had a rather voluptuous figure, and wore a long, revealing blue dress that sported a striped pattern

"We've finally pinpointed his located, Master Hades." Ultear said. "But the location is a bit… volatile."

"Really now? It's unlike you to be worried about such a thing, Ultear. Where have the keys traced him?" Hades asked.

Hades was a tall, elderly man with long, slicked back, silvery white hair, revealing his forehead. He also had a mustache, and a similarly long yet mildly thin and curly beard, reaching down to his lower chest. He had some wrinkles on his face, as evident of his extremely advanced age; nonetheless, despite this age, his figure was muscular and well defined. His attire consisted of a dark shirt paired with armored shoulder pads and shiny gauntlets, as well as chain-mail covering the parts of his arms remaining exposed, simple light pants with flames near the edges—held up by what looked like a light belt composed of two straps with the relative buttons, possibly part of the pants themselves, and dark, simple shoes/boots. Over this outfit he wore a large, dark cape, bearing Grimoire Heart's symbol on the back and sporting a mantle with a high collar, lighter-colored borders and jagged lower edges. He's also seen wearing a helmet matching his armor, with a prominent metal plate protecting his forehead, with two lines of studs on the front, siding his face and jutting out in a protrusion on each side, and a darker rear part, adorned by a crest reminiscent of those seen on Greek helmets.

Ultear gave him a nervous look and paused, but managed to speak up regardless. "Tenroujima, sir."

Hades' eyebrows shot up, but he quickly composed himself. "I can see why it would be surprising, but the creatures on that island are far from a threat to us."

"That's the thing though. While it's been a considerably long time since you interacted with Fairy Tail, I have dealt with them personally on many an occasion while I was on the council. I learned enough to know that there's a great chance of Makarov and the stronger mages of Fairy Tail to be there by the time we arrive." The black haired woman explained.

"So we're just in time for the S-Class Promotion Exams, eh? I can see what you mean by volatile, now. Regardless, I believe that with the exception of Makarov and perhaps Gildarts, you and the other kin can defeat any mages that would be there."

Just then, a new, quite youthful voice interjected. "I believe that there will be somebody ELSE there that not even you could defeat, Hades-san."

Both Hades and Ultear turned their attention to the new arrival, an individual covered from head to toe in a black cloak that even concealed his face (think Kingdom Hearts).

"Oh, it's you…" The elderly man said. "I'm afraid I might have misheard you. Did you say there was another member of Fairy Tail that I don't know about that surpasses myself?"

"Well, if you're lucky you might be able to draw if you got her on the ship, but otherwise yes. She's a… peculiar individual to say the least."

Ultear was interested now. While she may not like Hades in the least, she DID in fact acknowledge his strength. MAYBE drawing even with the aid of the Devil's Heart? Who was this woman the mysterious figure spoke of? "Do you plan to give us her name, or are we to guess?" She asked.

"Evangeline A.K. McDowell." The man revealed.

Surprise was completely evident on Hades' face. He was not expecting this at all. "Why on Earth is she with Fairy Tail? Makarov would never let a woman like her enter the guild."

"She's undercover. From what I've managed to find out, she has a long standing relationship with another member of the guild. She's posing as a little girl with only above average strength. I suspect she's hiding from the Paramecian government, but—"

He's cut off by the sound of a large crack. Both the mysterious figure and Hades turn to look at Ultear, who had just crushed her crystal ball into pieces with her bare hands, a look of absolute fury plastered across her usual collected face.

Neither of them could tell, but both Hades and Ultear had the distinct feeling that the mysterious figure was smiling under his hood. "Do you truly despise your mother enough to unconditionally hate people even connected to her in any way?" He asked in a light hearted tone, almost amused.

Ultear turned her furious glare onto the mysterious figure, not bothering to hide her ire for the man. She then abruptly closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Once she was finally composed, she returned her attention to the cloaked my.

"I personally have no grudge with Evangeline herself, in fact I learned a good deal of magic from her when I was a toddler." Ultear revealed. "She just reminds me of Ur far too much, enough that I can't stand her presence. Evangeline should have pushed Ur to look for me when I was kidnapped, but instead she left me just like my mother did. But if she will truly be in our way, then… I must agree in the sense that you cannot defeat her. Not alone."

Hades grunted in affirmation, acknowledging the fact but not willing to do so verbally. "Makarov will definitely invite her to attend the exam since she's new. Perhaps she won't be interested enough to go? If not…"

"I will stall her." The mysterious figure suddenly input. "Evangeline and I have a… history, to say the least. I know how she fights, and while I'm not confident in my ability to take her down, I can work my hardest to keep her in place while the kin take care of Fairy Tail."

Ultear gave the man a suspicious look. She obviously wasn't convinced. "You may have been right about Zeref's keys, but I'm not certain I agree with this plan. Your word only means so much."

"You've never seen him fight, have you, Ultear?" Hades asked, getting a shake in the negative from the woman. "Well, when it comes to matters relating to Zeref, I've yet to find one more well-versed in information regarding him. His skills are indeed appropriate to at least stall her, especially if he knows as much about her fighting style as he claims he does. I will handle Makarov while we leave Evangeline to him. I'll have Azuma and a small scouting party go in ahead of us. I'd like him to make preparations to control Tenrou Tree since Fairy Tail will be there. She tree is magically linked to the guild's members through their mark, and Azuma should be able to remove their magic power if given enough time. In the meanwhile, Capricorn will drop the rest of you off and you'll both look for Zeref and take out some of the higher profile Fairy Tail members." Hades instructed, pulling together a sound plan surprisingly quickly.

Ultear nodded at the plan and made a note to inform the rest of the guild at a later date.

"What of Gildarts Clive, though?" The mysterious figure inquired. "I assure you he can defeat all of the kin."

"If that is truly the case then I will send in Bluenote. I'd rather him not go since he gets quite obnoxious during operations like this one. He'll probably have his own agenda that might conflict with our own. I'll try to keep him in the ship, but if enough of the kin fall or Gildarts poses a problem, he'll leave himself, regardless of my orders."

The cloaked figure accepted the makeshift solution, and turned to Ultear for one final suggestion to the plan. "Zeref has changed due to his isolation. Without the keys to release his darkness, he's much weaker and less apt to agree with us. He may turn hostile in the event that your attempts to persuade him fail. His magic will be restricted enough that you should be able to restrain him in that situation, but be on your guard. Asleep or not, Zeref will prove a difficult opponent."

Listening to the man talk, Hades couldn't help but appreciate the fact that this man entered his life. He was a treasure trove of information relating to Zeref, and was more than willing to aid in Grimoire Heart's plans. He remembered the day he first met him very well…

**XxFlashbackxX**

_Hades stood atop a cliff and looked out into the horizon. His physical features were almost the same, with only his mustache missing. He sported a light cape bearing Fairy Tail's mark on the back, complete with a dark fur-lined mantle, and what looked like a loose robe below it._ _He held onto a large staff with the Fairy Tail insignia carved out of the top. With a cold look, he crushed the staff and tossed it down the cliff._

"_So you have made your decision, Purehito?" A voice sounded out._

_Turning quickly, Hades was met with none other than the mysterious figure, looking the same as he does in the present. "Who are you?" Hades asked him._

"_I am a man that shares in your ambitions, Purehito. You believe that the path of magic leads to darkness, correct? Well, I agree. If you wish to truly enter the__ Abyss of Magic__, than there is only one individual who has truly achieved such a state already."_

_Hades eyed the man carefully, but was interested in the information the man was bringing forth. "You mean to say that there already lives an individual who has walked the path of magic to its furthest and achieved the __One Magic__?"_

_The mysterious figure nodded and crossed his arms. "The legendary black mage, Zeref."_

_Hades' eyebrows shot up, and surprise was quite evident across his features. "He lives still? Truly?"_

"_He does, but is currently in a state of slumber. I'm not aware of his current location, but finding him right now would be fruitless anyways. His darkness has been sealed by Nagi Springfield, and he's in no position to aid us in our quest. But there IS a way to awaken him. There exist keys capable of releasing the darkness that lay deep inside Zeref's heart, and I know most of their locations."_

"_You believe Zeref will aid us? Teach us what we strive to know? Guide us down the path of magic?"_

"_In a sense." The cloaked man responded vaguely. "Zeref wished truly for only one thing: A world for mages and mages only. That world will be one of pure enlightenment, and I assure you that the answers we seek lie right in that very world."_

_Hades carefully considered the information that was just brought forth to him. It was so sudden, and he knew nothing about the man before him. But deep down, he knew it to be true. He would follow this plan, and the truth of magic would be revealed to him soon enough._

"_So are you with me, Purehito?"_

_Hades turned back to the cliff and resumed his gaze into the wilderness. "Call me Hades."_

_The mysterious figure chuckled. "An appropriate name for one bathed in darkness…"_

**XxFlashback EndxX**

Hades folded his fingers together and laid his chin across them, leaning forward. It wouldn't be long now. Zeref was finally within his grasp.

**XxBreakxX**

In a forest somewhere, there was a curious young man all by himself.

He wore open-collared red and tan robes with gold trimmings, along with a large, flowing white toga draped across, and around—his torso. He had messy black hair, dark eyes, and abnormally sharp canines. He also wore a circle-shaped necklace

He sat in front of a pond, drinking water in desperate gulps. Pulling his head out of the water and taking a deep gasp, he paused, some liquid still trailing down his mouth. Around him were the bodies for almost a dozen dead wolves, and the foliage was just a dead.

"Where are you… Natsu...?"

**XxChapter EndxX**

**As you can see, I'm making quite a few changes right off the bat, introducing the Mysterious Figure much earlier and giving Hades a MUCH larger part. Hopefully you like the changes I'm making, and I'll try my best to make the S-Class trials as good as possible!**

**Xeno out, peace.**


End file.
